Extractor for withdrawing or inserting roll-clusters

ABSTRACT

An extractor for withdrawing or inserting roll-clusters of the curved roll rack of a continuous-casting machine. The extractor includes a main frame pivotally supported on a horizontal axis at the concave side of the rack. A carriage and drive means therefor are supported on the main frame. The carriage has means for engaging and supporting a roll cluster. The underside of the frame carries a mechanism for aligning the carriage with a cluster above.

0 United States Patent 1 1 1 1 3,763,923 Gallucci Oct. 9, 1973 EXTRACTOR FOR WITHDRAWING 0R 3,628,595 1 12/1971 Mitchell 164/274 SEWING ROLL'CLUSTERS FOREIGN PATENTS OR APPLICATIONS [751 Fmds 1,493,639 7/1967 France 164/282 [73] Assignee: United States Steel Corporation, 44/215,442 11/1969 Japan 164/282 Pittsburgh, Pa. Primary Examiner-R. Spencer Annear [22] Filed. Mar. 22, 1972 Anamey walter R Wood [21] Appl. No.: 236,915 4 [57] ABSTRACT [52] 164/282 29/200 An extractor for withdrawing or inserting roll-clusters [51] 822d 11/12 of the curved roll rack of a continuous-casting ma- [58] i 282 283, chine. The extractor includes a main frame pivotally 21 72/239: 29/200 supported on a horizontal axis at the concave side of A the rack. A carriage and drive means therefor are supported on the main frame. The carriage has means for [56] References Cited engaging and supporting a roll cluster. The underside UNITED STATES PATENTS of the frame carries a mechanism. for aligning the car- 385,058 6/1888 Jones 72/239 riage with a cluster above, 3,339,392 9/1967 Buckwalter et a1. 164/282 UX 3,527,286 9/1970 Meitz 164/282 12 Claims, 8 Drawing Figures PATENTEUUU 91m 3,763,923

SHEFI 3UP 6 PATENTHJ [JCT 91876 sum u m 6 V EXTRACTOR FOR WITHDRAWING OR INSERTING ROLL-CLUSTERS This invention relatesto an extractor for withdrawing or inserting roll-clusters of a curved roll-rack of a continuous-casting machine.

The form of continuous-casting machine with which my extractor is used includes an open-ended, watercooled, vertically oxcillating mold, from the lower end of which a partially solidified casting of indefinite length emerges continuously. Below the mold the casting travels between series of rolls, included among which is a curved roll-rack for changing the direction of travelof the casting from vertical to horizontal. Detailsof course vary. The mold may be straight, in which event the casting travels through a straight vertical rollrack and a bending-roll unit before entering the curved roll-rack. Alternatively the mold may be curved to fonn a casting which is curved from its inception and which goes directly from the mold into the curved rollrack. Various rolls among the foregoing are driven to propel the casting. The other rolls are idlers to confine and guide the casting. After leaving the curved rollrack, the casting passes through a straightener, and subsequently is severed to discrete lengths. The casting is subjected to intense cooling after it leaves the mold, and solidifies throughout before it is severed.

All the rolls of a machine of this type are subject to severe operating conditions, since they are in direct contact both with the hot casting and with the water sprays used to cool the casting. Consequently it is necessary to remove, inspect and replace rolls on a regularly scheduled basis. In some installations, it is necessary also to remove and replace rolls whenever the machine is adjusted to change the casting thickness. A patent application of Bode and Wrhen, Ser. No. 236,937, filed Mar. 22, I972 coincidentally with the present application and of common ownership, shows and claims an arrangement for mounting idler rolls of a curved roll-rack in a way which facilitates removing and installing them or adjusting the rack for castings of different thickness. The application shows pairs of idler rolls arranged in top and bottom clusters which can be pulled from the supporting structure or inserted at the concave side of the roll rack. The terms top cluster and bottom cluster refer to the clusters closer to the concave and convex sides respectively of the curved roll-rack. The frame of the bottom cluster seats against a base. Tension straps are fixed to the supporting structure, and the frame of the top cluster is keyed to these straps. The frames of both clusters have apertured lugs to be engaged by an extractor for removing and inserting them. My extractor is particularly useful for removing or inserting roll-clusters of the type shown in the Bode and Wrhen application, although its use is not thus limited.

An object of my invention is to provide an extractor for withdrawing both top and bottom roll-clusters from a supporting structure, particularly from a curved rollrack, and also inserting the roll-clusters.

A further object is to provide an extractor which can pull or insert roll-clusters of a straight roll-rack adjacent a curved roll-rack.

A more specific object is to provide, in combination with the curved roll-rack of a continuous-casting machine, an extractor which is immediately available for quickly and easily withdrawing or inserting top and bottom roll-clusters at any part of the curved roll-rack or adjacent straight roll-rack.

A further object is to provide an extractor which not only withdraws or inserts roll-clusters, but also operates keys used to fix a top roll-cluster to tension straps, as shown in the Bode and Wrhen application.

A further object is to provide an extractor which includes meqhanism for readily and accurately aligning the parts with any selected cluster to be withdrawn.

In the drawings:

FIG. 1 is a partly diagrammatic side elevational view of a portion of a continuous-casting machine equipped with my extractor;

FIG. 2 is a fragmentary top plan view illustrating the way in which the extractor engages a top roll-cluster constructed as shown in the Bode and Wrhen application;

FIG. 3 is a side elevational view of the extractor on a larger scale;

FIG. 4 is a top plan view of the extractor;

FIG. 5 is a vertical sectional view on line VV of FIG. 4;

FIG. 6 is a bottom plan view of the aligning mechanism embodied in the extractor;

FIG. 7 is a vertical sectional view on line VII-VII of FIG. 4 showing mainly the aligning mechanism; and

FIG. 8 is a diagrammatic side elevational view similar to'FIG. 1, but showing a modification.

FIG. 1 shows diagrammatically a portion of a continuous-casting machine which may be of known construction except that the idler rolls are shown as mounted in accordance with the Bode and Wrhen invention. The machine includes a straight vertical rollrack 10, a bending-roll unit 12, a curved roll-rack 13, and a straightener 14. A continuously formed casing C, which comes from a mold, not shown, travels along the path defined by the various rolls and through the straightener. The bending-roll unit imparts a curvature to the casting, after which the curved roll-rack changes its direction of travel from vertical to horizontal. Various rolls among those shown may be driven to propel the casting, and the other rolls are idlers to confine and guide the casting. If a rigid starter bar is used, the upper portion of the curved roll-rack includes a switch section (not shown) which lets the starter bar descend vertically. The curved roll-rack illustrated defines a path which is a circular arc, but the arc can be of other shape.

The curved roll-rack 13 illustrated includes a housing 15 in which idler rolls are mounted in top and bottom clusters 16 and 17, as shown and claimed in the aforementioned Bode and Wrhen application. Both clusters include frames which may be withdrawn from or inserted into the housing from the concave side of the roll-rack. The frames for the top clusters are indicated at 18. Tension straps 19 project from both edges of the housing 15 at the concave side of the rack. As FIG. 2 shows, each frame 18 carries transversely slidable keys 20 which fit within holes 21 in straps 19 to fix the top clusters within the housing 15. Each frame 18 carries apertured lugs 22 at opposite sides above and below each key 20 (four lugs per frame). Each key 20 carries a respective pin 23 for engagement by the extractor, as hereinafter explained. The frames of the bottom rollclusters 17 have similar lugs, not shown. The curved roll-rack illustrated also has driven rolls 24 mounted in frames 25, which carry apertured lugs 26 similar to lugs 22. The driven roll frames can be withdrawn or inserted at the concave side similar to the idler roll clusters. The bending-roll unit 12 has rolls 27 similarly arranged for withdrawal or insertion in clusters at the concave side.

The extractor of my invention is indicated at 30 in FIG. 1 at the concave side of the curved roll-rack 13. The extractor has a main frame 31 which includes rigidly connected side members 32 and cross pieces 33. At its back end (the right as viewed in FIG. I) the main frame carries upstanding ears 34 which are pivoted on a horizontal axis to a fixed part 35 of the supporting structure. The pivotal axis preferably coincides with the center of the circular arc about which the curved roll-rack 13 is constructed. Near its front end the main frame carries upstanding cars 36 in which pulleys 37 are journaled. Ropes 38 extend around these pulleys and lead to a hoist 39 for raising and lowering the main frame about its pivot.

The main frame also carries depending ears 4] and upstanding plates 42 near its front and back ends respectively. A carriage supporting frame 43 is pivoted at its front end to the depending ears 41 and supported at its back end on plates 42. These plates have a plurality of holes 44 arranged in a circular are about the pivotal mounting of the carriage-supporting frame 43 as a center. I may bolt or pin the back end of the carriagesupporting frame to plates 42 at any of these holes to vary the angle which this frame makes with respect to the main frame 31, for engaging clusters of the curved roll-rack or clusters above, as hereinafter explained.

The carriage-supporting frame includes rigidly connected channel shaped side members or rails 45 and cross members 46 (FIG.

A carriage 49 is mounted in the carriage supporting frame 43 for movement lengthwise of the frame. The carriage includes rigidly connected side members 50, cross members 51 and a ram 52. A pair of supporting trucks 53 are fixed to the respective side members 50 and project outwardly therefrom. Each truck includes a plurality of rollers 54 which ride within rails 45 of the carriage-supporting frame 32.

The extractor includes a drive for the carriage 49. The drive illustrated is of the chain-and-sprocket type to conserve space. Where space permits, I can use other types of drive, such as a fluid-pressure cylinder, which is simpler mechanically. The drive illustrated includes a reversible hydraulic motor 55 fixed to the carriage-supporting frame 43 beneath the carriage, a transverse drive shaft 56 journaled in bearings 57 on frame 43, and a chain and sprocket connection 58 between the motor and drive shaft (FIG. 4). The shaft carries drive sprockets 59 near its opposite ends. Back and front idler sprockets 60 and 61 are journaled in suitable bearings near opposite ends of frame 43 at both sides thereof. Take-up sprockets 62 and 63 are journaled to the bottom of frame 43. Chains 64 are attached at their opposite ends to carriage 49 and extend around the drive sprockets 59, idler sprockets 60 and 61, and take-up sprockets 62 and 63.

As best shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, the front end of ram 52 carries bifurcated extensions 68 at opposite sides and a bracket 69 at the middle. A pair of vertically spaced transverse guide rails 70 are fixed to the extensions 68 and bracket 69. A pair of opposed doubleacting fluid-pressure key-operating cylinders 71 are fixed to bracket 69 and contain reciprocable pistons and piston rods 72. Respective fixtures 73 are attached to the ends of piston rods 72 and are supported for transverse sliding movement between the guide rails 70. The front faces of fixtures 73 have respective sockets 74 arranged to receive pins 23 on keys 20 of the top roll clusters 16 (FIG. 2). The front of each guide rail carries opposed double-acting fluid-pressure cylinders 75 near each end (four cylinders 75 altogether). Cylinders 75 contain transversely reciprocable pistons and piston rods 76. Respective pins 77 are attached to the ends of piston rods 76 and are arranged to enter the holes in lugs 22 and 26 of frames 18 and 25 respectively, and holes in similar lugs (not shown) of the frames of the bottom roll clusters 17. The cylinders have the usual connection for admitting and discharging fluid under pressure, but in the interest of simplicity these connections are not shown.

FIGS. 6 and 7 shown the mechanism for aligning the extractor with a roll-cluster to be withdrawn or aligning a replacement cluster with its proper place in the housing 15. I pivot a pair of bell-cranks 80 and respective double-acting fluid-pressure operating cylinders 81 therefor to the underside of the carriage-supporting frame 43 for movement on vertical axes. Cylinders 81 contain respective pistons and piston rods 82 pivoted at their free ends to the shorter arms of the respective bell-cranks. Respective fingers 83 are pivoted to the longer arms of the bell-cranks for movement on horizontal axes. The fingers are levers of the first class and have operating screws 84 connected to their other arms. Hydraulic motors 85 are pivoted to the longer arms of the bell-cranks and connected to the screws 84 through gearing, the housing of which is shown at 86 (FIG. 7).

FIG. 8 shows a continuous-casting machine similar to that shown in FIG. 1, but equipped with an extractor of modified construction within my invention. The modified extractor is simplified by elimination of a separate carriage-supporting frame. Instead I support the carriage 49 and its drive (not shown), and the aligning mechanism (not shown) directly on the main frame 31a. Other parts of the modified extractor may be similar to corresponding parts in the embodiment already described; hence I have not repeated the showing and description.

OPERATION When I use the extractor shown in FIGS. 1 to 7 to withdraw any of the roll-clusters l6 and 17 or drivenroll frames 25 from the curved roll-rack 13, I connect the back end of the carriage-supporting frame 43 to the lowermost holes 44 in plates 42, as shown in full lines in FIG. 1. I use the hoist 39 and ropes 38 to align the ram 52 approximately with the top cluster 16 or frame 25 which is to be withdrawn, and the fingers 83 to align the ram accurately. To use the fingers, I operate cylinders 81 to swing bell-cranks 80 outwardly from a retracted position to an extended position in which the fingers overlie and rest on the tension straps 19 of the cluster immediately below the cluster or driven-roll frame which is to be withdrawn. If the cluster to be withdrawn is one of those immediately above a drivenroll frame, the fingers rest on this frame. The bellcranks swing about 90 between these two positions. In the extended position the fingers support the front end of the frames 31 and 43 on the tension straps 19, or on the driven roll frame 25. Next I operate motors 85 to raise or lower the front end of the frames with respect to the fingers to obtain accurate alignment. The two motors 85 are independently operable to compensate for any canting of the frames.

To withdraw a top cluster 16 after the ram 52 has been aligned therewith, I operate the carriage drive motor 55 to extend the carriage 49 to a position in which sockets 74 of fixtures 73 receive pins 23 of keys 20. l operate cylinders 71 to pull the fixtures and keys inwardly toward the middle and thus release the keys from holes 21 in the tension straps 19. I operate cylinders 75 to project pins 77 into the holes in lugs 22. l operate the drive motor 55 to retract the carriage and with it the top cluster 16. After removing the top cluster from the extractor, I repeat the foregoing steps to withdraw the corresponding bottom cluster 17, except that there are no keys to be released. l also follow a similar procedure to withdraw a driven-roll frame 25.

When I use the extractor to withdraw clusters from the bending-roll unit 12, I connect the back end of the carriage-supporting frame 43 to holes 44 at a high elevation which tilts the carriage-supporting frame with respect to the main frame 31, as shown in phantom lines in FlG. l. I select an angle of tilt which places the ram 52 at right angles to the housing when the extractor is raised to a position of alignment with the clusters to be withdrawn.

The extractor of FIG. 8 is operated in the same manner as the extractor of FIGS. 1 to 7, except that there is no provision to tilt the carriage with respect to the main-frame. Consequently this form of extractor is used only with the clusters of the curved roll-rack.

With either form of extractor I can insert roll-clusters in the housing by performing the foregoing steps in reverse order.

Although I have illustrated my extractor used with a specific construction of roll-clusters, the extractor may be used with roll-clusters of other construction. It is only necessary to design the front end of the ram and the aligning mechanism to cooperate with the cluster frames. By using the form of my invention in which the carriage-supporting frame can tilt with respect to the main frame, I can adapt my extractor for curved rollracks of arcs other than circular.

From the foregoing description it is seen that my in vention affords a simple versatile extractor for withdrawing and inserting roll-clusters of a curved or adjacent straight roll-rack. The extractor is always available for expeditiously performing these operations.

I claim:

1. The combination, with a curved roll-rack which includes a housing and a plurality of roll-clusters fixed in said housing and adapted to be withdrawn or inserted at the concave side of said roll-rack, of an extractor for withdrawing or inserting said roll-clusters, said extractor comprising:

a main frame pivotally supported at its back end on a horizontal axis spaced from said roll-rack at the concave side thereof;

means connected with said main frame for raising and lowering it about its pivotal support to align the extractor with a selected cluster in said housing;

a carriage;

means supporting said carriage on said main frame for movement toward and away from said housing; drive means operatively connected with said carriage; and

means carried by the front end of said carriage for engaging and supporting a roll-cluster.

2. A combination as defined in claim 1 in whichsaid roll-rack defines a path lying in a circular arc, and said axis coincides with the center of the arc.

3. A combination as defined in claim 1 in which said extractor comprises in addition a carriage-supporting frame pivotally mounted at its front end on said main frame, and means at the back end of said main frame supporting the back end of said carriage-supporting frame for tilting adjustments with respect to said main frame, said carriage and said drive means being mounted on said carriage-supporting frame, said combination including a bending-roll unit above said curved roll-rack, the means on said carriage for engaging and supporting a roll-cluster being cooperable with said roll-clusters in said bending-roll unit on tilting adjustement of said carriage-supporting frame.

4. A combination as defined in claim 1 in which said carriage is mounted directly on said main frame.

5. A combination as defined in claim 1 in which said carriage includes a rigid frame, rollers supporting said rigid frame, and a ram extending from the front end of said rigid frame toward said roll-rack, and in which the means for engaging and supporting a roll-cluster is mounted on said ram.

6. A combination as defined in claim 5 in which said clusters have apertured lugs, and the means for engaging and supporting a roll-cluster includes opposed double-acting fluid-pressure cylinders mounted on the front end of said ram, and transversely reciprocable pins operated by said cylinders, said pins being receivable in said lugs.

7. A combination as defined in claim 5 in which there are top and bottom roll-clusters and said top clusters include slidable keys fixing the top clusters in said housing, and said top and bottom clusters have apertured lugs, and the means for engaging and supporting a roll-cluster includes key-operating mechanism engageable with said keys, and transversely reciprocable pins receivable in said lugs.

8. A combination as defined in claim 7 in which said key-operating mechanism includes opposed doubleacting fluid-pressure cylinders mounted on said ram, and transversely slidable fixtures mounted on said ram and operatively connected with said cylinders, said keys and fixtures having cooperable pins and sockets.

9. A combination as defined in claim 1 in which said extractor comprises in addition aligning mechanism mounted on the underside of one of said frames and engageable with a cluster below the cluster to be withdrawn for aligning said carriage with the cluster to be withdrawn.

10. A combination as defined in claim 9 in which said aligning mechanism includes bell-cranks pivoted to the frame on vertical axes, fingers pivoted to said bellcranks, and motive means operatively connected to said bell-cranks and to said fingers.

11. A combination as defined in claim 1 in which the rolls in said roll-clusters are idler rolls, and said rollrack includes driven rolls and frames in which said driven rolls are mounted, said driven rolls being interspersed with said clusters, the means for engaging and supporting a roll-cluster also being engageable with the frames for said driven rolls.

12. A combination as defined in claim ll including apertured lugs carried by the frames in which said driven rolls are mounted.

* i k k 

1. The combination, with a curved roll-rack which includes a housing and a plurality of roll-clusters fixed in said housing and adapted to be withdrawn or inserted at the concave side of said roll-rack, of an extractor for withdrawing or inserting said roll-clusters, said extractor comprising: a main frame pivotally supported at its back end on a horizontal axis spaced from said roll-rack at the concave side thereof; means connected with said main frame for raising and lowering it about its pivotal support to align the extractor with a selected cluster in said housing; a carriage; means supporting said carriage on said main frame for movement toward and away from said housing; drive means operatively connected with said carriage; and means carried by the front end of said carriage for engaging and supporting a roll-cluster.
 2. A combination as defined in claim 1 in which said roll-rack defines a path lying in a circular arc, and said axis coincides with the center of the arc.
 3. A combination as defined in claim 1 in which said extractor comprises in addition a carriage-supporting frame pivotally mounted at its front end on said main frame, and means at the back end of said main frame supporting the back end of said carriage-supporting frame for tilting adjustments with respect to said main frame, said carriage and said drive means being mounted on said carriage-supporting frame, said combination including a bending-roll unit above said curved roll-rack, the means on said carriage for engaging and supporting a roll-cluster being cooperable with said roll-clusters in said bending-roll unit on tilting adjustment of said carriage-supporting frame.
 4. A combination as defined in claim 1 in which said carriage is mounted directly on said main frame.
 5. A combination as defined in claim 1 in which said carriage includes a rigid frame, rollers supporting said rigid frame, and a ram extending from the front end of said rigid frame toward said roll-rack, and in which the means for engaging and supporting a roll-cluster is mounted on said ram.
 6. A combination as defined in claim 5 in which said clusters have apertured lugs, and the means for engaging and supporting a roll-cluster includes opposed double-acting fluid-pressure cylinders mounted on the front end of said ram, and transversely reciprocable pins operated by said cylinders, said pins being receivable in said lugs.
 7. A combination as defined in claim 5 in which there are top and bottom roll-clusters and said top clusters include slidable keys fixing the top clusters in said housing, and said top and bottom clusters have apertured lugs, and the means for engaging and supporting a roll-cluster includes key-operating mechanism engageable with said keys, and transversely reciprocable pins receivable in said lugs.
 8. A combination as defined in claim 7 in which said key-operating mechanism includes opposed double-acting fluid-pressure cylinders mounted on said ram, and transversely slidable fixtures mounted on said ram and operatively connected with said cylinders, said keys and fixtures having cooperable pins and sockets.
 9. A combination as defined in claim 1 in which said extractor comprises in addition aligning mechanism mounted on the underside of one of said frames and engageable with a cluster below the cluster to be withdrawn for aligning said carriage with the cluster to be withdrawn.
 10. A combination as defined in claim 9 in which said aligning mechanism includes bell-cranks pivoted to the frame on vertical axes, fingers pivoted to said bell-cranks, and motive means operatively connected to said bell-cranks and to said fingers.
 11. A combination as defined in claim 1 in which the rolls in said roll-clusters are idler rolls, and said roll-rack includes driven rolls and frames in which said driven rolls are mounted, said driven rolls being interspersed with said clusters, the means for engaging and supporting a roll-cluster also being engageable with the frames for said driven rolls.
 12. A combination as defined in claim 11 including apertured lugs carried by the frames in which said driven rolls are mounted. 